Kritik und Lob » have to survive the rigors of more min

TORONTO -- The Toronto Blue Jays and the Baltimore Orioles meet Tuesday in the opener of a three-game series at Rogers Centre that could decide the first wild-card spot in the American League.The Blue Jays lost Monday 7-5 to the New York Yankees after being outscored 5-2 in the ninth inning, and the Orioles had the day off.The result left the Blue Jays, who occupy the first wild-card spot, one game ahead of the Orioles, who are in the second wild-card spot.Each team has six regular-season games left.The Blue Jays have some injury concerns, the result of two bench-clearing skirmishes in the second inning of the game Monday against the Yankees.Second baseman Devon Travis had to leave the game on Monday in the sixth inning with a sore shoulder that hampered his swing at the plate. Right-hander Joaquin Benoit, a key member of the bullpen, had to be helped from the field with a calf injury after the second melee.More is expected to be known about the injuries on Tuesday.Toronto appeared to have a chance to gain a two-game advantage over the Orioles on Monday when they took a 3-2 lead into the ninth.With regular closer Roberto Osuna unavailable because of his recent work load, the save opportunity was left to Jason Grilli, who coughed up four hits that included two home runs and four of the Yankees five runs in the inning.The Blue Jays scored twice in the bottom of the ninth.Were going to come back against Baltimore ready to go, said Blue Jays left-hander J.A. Happ, who was deprived of his 21st win by New Yorks ninth-inning rally.The Blue Jays will start right-hander Aaron Sanchez (13-2, 3.12 ERA), who has yet to record a decision in three starts in September in which he has a 5.40 ERA. The Blue Jays are 0-3 in those starts even though Sanchez is 0-0.The Orioles will start right-hander Kevin Gausman (8-11, 3.57 ERA).Gausman had his start on Sunday bumped to Tuesday to give him more time to rest an intercostal injury. He had five straight quality starts before allowing five runs in 6 1/3 innings to the torrid Boston Red Sox.There is something to be gained to winning every game you play, is the way Orioles manager Buck Showalter put it. There is something to be lost every game you lose. Instead of looking at all things you shoulda, woulda, coulda done to make it a little bit easier, I look at all the things that our guys have done to have this opportunity. Im proud of them that its (Sept. 27) and we continue to play important games.In two starts against the Blue Jays this season, Gausman is 0-1 with a 7.71 ERA. He has a 4.15 ERA in 11 career games (six starts) against them.Sanchez is 3-0 with a 3.38 ERA in four starts against the Orioles this season. He is 4-2 with a 4.20 ERA in 12 games, including seven starts, against them in his career.Blue Jays manager John Gibbons feels his team is ready for the final push.These guys are all in a good frame of mind, Gibbons said. Thats one of the real good things about this group. They dont get too high. They dont get too low. So when you hit a tough stretch, theres no panic out there. The guys dont hang their heads or shut it down. They never have. So regardless of how you get in, how youre playing, the reality is weve got to be playing good to even get in.Nike Vapormax Plus Levne . Kiriasis and brakeman Franziska Fritz finished two runs in one minute 55.41 seconds -- a mere 0.01 seconds ahead of Meyers and Lolo Jones, who likely bolstered her Olympic hopes by helping give USA-1 a huge push in the second heat. Vapormax Plus Pánská . -- Jonathan Drouin gave Halifax the boost it needed to edge host Sherbrooke Phoenix 3-2 in a shootout in Quebec Major Junior Hockey League action. http://www.vapormaxlevne.cz/vapormax-flyknit-boty.html . With the first unit struggling of late and Amir Johnson - one of the teams iron men - hobbling on an injured right ankle, Patterson knew he could get the nod in a challenging matchup against one of the leagues up and coming players at his position. Vapormax Boty Cz . -- Nathan Pancel scored twice as the Sudbury Wolves defeated the North Bay Battalion 4-2 on Saturday in Ontario Hockey League action. Vapormax Plus Bílé . -- Matt Rupert scored once in regulation and again in the shootout as the London Knights extended their win streak to nine games by defeating the Owen Sound Attack 4-3 on Friday in Ontario Hockey League action.Purdue coach Matt Painter still believes in traditional basketball principles. He thinks bigger is better, experience matters and teams win with defense.But a revamped roster has forced Painter to rethink some things and adapt to the reality of no longer having a natural shot-blocker with A.J. Hammons gone.It actually helps us because we cant just think A.J. is going to save the day or block a shot, forward Caleb Swanigan said. I think it forces us to play better unit defense and I think it will help us every day.If last years Big Ten tournament runner-ups intend to contend for a regular-season title, they dont have a choice.While 7-foot-2 junior Isaac Haas is a capable center, he hasnt yet proved he can match the defensive prowess of Hammons, who manned the middle most of the last four seasons, or JaJuan Johnson, who performed the same job from 2007-11.Instead, Haas spent his first two college seasons mostly coming off the bench and occasionally battling foul trouble. And beyond Haas and the 6-9 Swanigan , the only other players taller than 6-6 are 6-8 forward Vince Edwards and Jacquil Taylor, a lightly-used 6-10 redshirt sophomore.To keep Haas active and healthy and the defense sound, Painter is asking a guard-heavy team to protect the front line rather than relying on the last line of defense to erase mistakes.Were concentrating on our close outs and keeping the ball in front of us and having some early help so were a better defensive team, Painter said. Were going to be different like I said, but I think we have a chance to be a good defensive team.And the Boilermakers have an abundance of players willing to pitch in.Its going to be a lot more about team defense this year, Edwards said. As an individual you want to be able to contain the bounce. If somebody gets beat, weve got to kknow somebody is right there to help.ddddddddddddHere are some other things to watch this season:BALL HANDLINGPurdues inability to take care of the ball late last season led to a surprising first-round exit in the NCAA Tournament, courtesy of Arkansas-Little Rock, and Painter has taken measures to make sure there is not a repeat. He even scrimmaged against West Virginias full-court pressure just to give his team a glimpse of what it may face this season. Stay tuned to see if it helps.SPIKE TVPainter has found yet another graduate transfer who might pay immediate dividends, former Michigan guard Spike Albrecht. The 24-year-old played in eight games before missing the rest of last season after having hip surgery. During the offseason, Albrecht opted to return to his home state, meaning the last active college player from the Wolverines 2013 Final Four team will play at Purdue.HOBBLED HAASIn addition to Haas expanded role, he also will have to survive the rigors of more minutes in the rugged Big Ten. Hes already been slowed by a bad ankle, an injury he insists wont keep him down long. But because ankle injuries can linger, getting healthy before the Nov. 11 season opener against McNeese State will be crucial for Haas.WHAT TO WATCHPurdue has four marquee non-conference matchups: Nov. 14 at home against defending national champion Villanova, Nov. 30 at Louisville, Dec. 6 against Arizona State in New York and Dec. 17 against Notre Dame in Indianapolis. Statewide fans may also be in interested in the Nov. 18 contest against Georgia State, which marks the return of former IUPUI coach Ron Hunter.---Online: AP College Basketball site: http://collegebasketball.ap.org/ ' ' '